Belgian forward Michy Batshuayi enhanced his growing reputation with two more goals as third-placed Olympique de Marseille thumped Racing Club de Lens 4-0 on Sunday to move one point behind Olympique Lyonnais and two adrift of leaders Paris Saint-Germain in a hard-fought Ligue 1 title race.
Batshuayi replaced top scorer Andre-Pierre Gignac at halftime and made an immediate impact, scoring one minute into the second half to give the visitors the lead.
Last month, Batshuayi did exactly the same, coming off the bench and scoring immediately in a 2-2 draw at AS Saint-Etienne.
Photo: AFP
“Whether I start games or not, I have to stay focused. I work hard in training and I’m rewarded in the games,” 21-year-old Batshuayi said. “Every time I get chances I do everything to put them away. Things are going well for me at the moment, I’m happy for the team. Of course, the title is possible.”
He took his season’s tally to eight goals in 19 games — with only five of those as starts — when he scored his side’s fourth goal deep into stoppage-time. In between his goals, midfielder Alaixys Romao struck in the 67th minute and winger Andre Ayew pounced five minutes later.
Marseille had struggled on the road for most of the season until a 6-1 thrashing of Toulouse two weeks ago.
Photo: AFP
The title race is intriguingly poised and could take another twist when it resumes after the international break, with PSG traveling to play Marseille on April 5.
AS Monaco are also in contention, one point behind Marseille and with a game in hand, but l’OM appear to be peaking at the right time and — like Lyon — have no other competitions to play in, while PSG are chasing a domestic treble and are through to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
Since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, where he reached the final playing for Ghana last month, Ayew has scored four goals in six games, adding some much-needed firepower to an attack overly reliant on Gignac in the first half of the campaign.
Marseille started the game well, with Gignac missing a chance in the first minute and again two minutes later after being set up by winger Dimitri Payet, but 19th-placed Lens came back into the game and goalkeeper Steve Mandanda twice foiled striker Yoann Touzghar in the first half.
“We had problems in the first half, but in the second we were able to dictate play,” Romao said. “We have very good teamwork in this side and top-quality players.”
Payet set up the first goal and was involved in the second when his free-kick bounced off the post and fell kindly for Romao.
Bielsa has earned a reputation as a fearless coach and he again showed no mercy, hauling off Gignac — just like he did against Saint-Etienne.
It proved another smart move from the Argentine coach as Batshuayi again showed Gignac — Marseille’s top scorer with 16 league goals — how to be more clinical. Batshuayi also had another goal ruled out for offside and was involved in the buildup to Ayew’s goal.
Earlier on Sunday, teenage striker Anthony Martial scored his fourth league goal in the past three games as AS Monaco won 3-1 at Stade de Reims.
Brazilian defender Fabinho and midfielder Nabil Dirar also scored for Monaco, while forward Diego Rigonato netted for Reims.
Monaco are enjoying a strong resurgence following a poor start to the season and coach Leonardo Jardim’s team also qualified for the Champions League quarter-finals, where they are due to take on Juventus.
“We’ve had a taste of the Champions League this year and we want to get back next season,” Dirar said.
Ivory Coast winger Max-Alain Gradel scored both goals in AS Saint-Etienne’s 2-0 home win against LOSC Lille Metropole, taking his tally to 10 this season — including five in the past four games.
Lille midfielder Rony Lopes was sent off in the 52nd minute.
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